This invention relates to mixers and to apparatus and methods for mixing slurries and high purity chemical solutions.
Industries such as the semiconductor industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the paint industry, to name but a few, use mixers for mixing various kinds of slurries and other mixtures. Given the different mixing needs among the various industries, skilled artisans have devoted considerable effort developing efficient and highly effective mixers. Nevertheless, existing mixers are expensive, complicated to build and hard to clean. Existing mixers, especially those used for mixing highly pure mixtures, are also difficult to use, especially in applications in which mixed solutions and slurries must be transferred to and from mixing receptacles and when mixing processes require the introduction of various constituents at different times during the mixing process. Given these and other deficiencies in the art, the need for certain new and useful improvements is evident.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in various new and improved mixing apparatus and methods. In one preferred apparatus embodiment, provided is a receptacle and an agitator capable of agitating material in the receptacle and conducting material to and from the receptacle. The agitator consists of an engine, at least one agitator element disposed in the receptacle, and a drive shaft coupling the engine to the agitator element. The engine drives the drive shaft, which transfers the mechanical power from the engine to the agitator element. The agitator is furnished with a conduit, which is associated with the drive shaft. The conduit is capable of conducting material to and from the receptacle, and has an open proximal extremity disposed outboard of the receptacle and an open distal extremity disposed in the receptacle. The engine consists of radial vanes attached to the drive shaft. The drive shaft is rotated to a chassis, which has a chamber that substantially encloses the vanes, an inlet leading to the chamber and an outlet leading from the chamber. The drive shaft is made to rotate in response to a flow of fluid acting on the vanes passing through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. The chassis supports an adjustable baffle, which is capable of being adjusted for regulating a fluid flow through the chamber at one of the inlet and the outlet. A fixture secures the engine to the receptacle, and the agitator element consists of a collar attached to the drive shaft and radial blades pivoted to the collar. Preferably, a fluid pump is coupled in fluid communication to the open proximal extremity of the conduit, facilitating material transfer through the conduit.
Another preferred apparatus embodiment of the invention consists of a receptacle, an engine, at least one agitator element disposed in the receptacle, a drive shaft coupling the engine to the agitator element, and a conduit associated with the drive shaft that is capable of conducting material to and from the receptacle. The conduit has an open proximal extremity disposed outboard of the receptacle and an open distal extremity disposed in the receptacle. The engine drives the drive shaft, which transfers the mechanical power from the engine to the agitator element. The engine consists of radial vanes attached to the drive shaft. The drive shaft is rotated to a chassis, which has a chamber that substantially encloses the vanes, an inlet leading to the chamber and an outlet leading from the chamber. The drive shaft is made to rotate in response to a flow of fluid acting on the vanes passing through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. The chassis supports an adjustable baffle, which is capable of being adjusted for regulating a fluid flow through the chamber at one of the inlet and the outlet. A fixture secures the engine to the receptacle, and the agitator element consists of a collar attached to the drive shaft and radial blades pivoted to the collar. Preferably, a fluid pump is coupled in fluid communication to the open proximal extremity, facilitating material transfer through the conduit.
Yet another preferred apparatus embodiment of the invention consists of a receptacle, an engine, at least one agitator element disposed in the receptacle, and a drive shaft coupling the engine to the agitator element. The engine drives the drive shaft, which transfers the mechanical power from the engine to the agitator element. In this embodiment, the engine consists of radial vanes attached to the drive shaft, in which the drive shaft is rotated to a chassis having a chamber substantially enclosing the vanes, an inlet leading to the chamber and an outlet leading from the chamber. The drive shaft is made to rotate in response to a flow of fluid acting on the vanes passing through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. The agitator is furnished with a conduit, which is associated with the drive shaft. The conduit is capable of conducting material to and from the receptacle, and has an open proximal extremity disposed outboard of the receptacle and an open distal extremity disposed in the receptacle. The chassis supports an adjustable baffle, which is capable of being adjusted for regulating a fluid flow through the chamber at one of the inlet and the outlet. A fixture secures the engine to the receptacle, and the agitator element consists of a collar attached to the drive shaft and radial blades pivoted to the collar. Preferably, a fluid pump is coupled in fluid communication to the open proximal extremity, facilitating material transfer through the conduit.
Yet still another preferred apparatus embodiment of the invention consists of an engine, at least one agitator element, a drive shaft coupling the engine to the agitator element, and a conduit associated with the drive shaft that is capable of conducting material therethrough. The engine drives the drive shaft, which transfers the mechanical power from the engine to the agitator element. The conduit has an open proximal extremity disposed adjacent the engine and an open distal extremity disposed adjacent the agitator element. The engine consists of radial vanes attached to the drive shaft. The drive shaft is rotated to a chassis, which has a chamber that substantially encloses the vanes, an inlet leading to the chamber and an outlet leading from the chamber. The drive shaft is made to rotate in response to a flow of fluid acting on the vanes passing through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. The chassis supports an adjustable baffle, which is capable of being adjusted for regulating a fluid flow through the chamber at one of the inlet and the outlet. A fixture is also provided, which is capable of securing the engine to a receptacle. The agitator element consists of a collar attached to the drive shaft and radial blades pivoted to the collar. Preferably, a fluid pump is coupled in fluid communication to the open proximal extremity, facilitating material transfer through the conduit.
Yet a further preferred apparatus embodiment of the invention consists of, an engine, at least one agitator element, and a drive shaft coupling the engine to the agitator element. The engine drives the drive shaft, which transfers the mechanical power from the engine to the agitator element. In this embodiment, the engine consists of radial vanes attached to the drive shaft, in which the drive shaft is rotated to a chassis having a chamber substantially enclosing the vanes, an inlet leading to the chamber and an outlet leading from the chamber. The drive shaft is made to rotate in response to a flow of fluid acting on the vanes passing through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. The agitator is furnished with a conduit, which is associated with the drive shaft. The conduit is capable of conducting material therethrough, and has an open proximal extremity disposed adjacent the engine and an open distal extremity disposed adjacent the agitator element. The chassis supports an adjustable baffle, which is capable of being adjusted for regulating a fluid flow through the chamber at one of the inlet and the outlet. A fixture is also provided, which is capable of securing the engine to a receptacle. The agitator element consists of a collar attached to the drive shaft and radial blades pivoted to the collar. Preferably, a fluid pump is coupled in fluid communication to the open proximal extremity, facilitating material transfer through the conduit.
The invention also contemplates associated apparatus embodiments and methods.